


We All Live in a Pokemon World: Yellow Version

by Starship_Phoenix



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Red & Green & Blue & Yellow | Pokemon Red Green Blue Yellow Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Humans, Gen, Original Character(s), Pokemon Journey, original 151
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-03-26 19:27:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13864437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starship_Phoenix/pseuds/Starship_Phoenix
Summary: Yellow is a young Pikachu, unaware of the fact that he is about to go on the greatest Pokemon adventure in history. In a world of Pokemon, it takes both brains and brawn to make it to the top. If only he can get over his fear of Pokemon battles...





	1. The Road to Viridian City

Yellow looked up at the slowly darkening sky with worry. He had spent most of the day walking along Route One, a pretty path lined on either side with fields of flowers and small clusters of trees which spanned the distance between Pallet Town and Viridian City. The tree-lined path offered only the barest shade from the hot summer sun, but the sun had disappeared behind grey storm clouds not long ago, and the rest of the sky seemed to be quickly following. Suddenly the lack of ambient noise which Yellow had attributed to it being a lazy Sunday afternoon made him nervous. Usually a travelling pokémon could count on the locals for company: those who preferred the wild life, living in rugged trees and holes in the ground, or else fellow travelers, sticking to well-worn paths rather than navigating the wild. But the route was quiet and not a pokémon was in sight. Nearly everyone seemed to be hunkered down in anticipation for the oncoming storm. The darkening sky made the tree-lined path more eerie than cheery and Yellow adjusted the satchel on his shoulder, quickening his pace along the dusty path. It would only be a matter of minutes until rain started pouring on Yellow's head. If he wanted to avoid a potential disaster, he would have to find shelter, and fast. Those clouds looked capable of producing lightning as well as torrential downpours. That was never a good combination, especially for a lone pikachu like himself.

Yellow cursed to himself as he ran along the worn-out path to Viridian City. He didn't know how much further he had until he reached the city. This was the furthest he had ever been from Pallet Town, despite Viridian City only being a day’s journey.

_Why did I agree to this errand again? Oh right. I’m too afraid to say ‘no’ to anyone._

Finally, Viridian City appeared over the horizon, bright and noisy. His sensed were assaulted with the smells of thousands of different pokemon sharing the same space, and his ears twitched. _Really, why did I agree to this?_   But there was no denying that the sight of Viridian City was beautiful. Yellow hardly had time to appreciate the immensity of the city before he felt the first drops of rain. Recalling his instructions to find the PokéMart located near the southern entrance to the city, Yellow looked around for some sort of sign to point him in the right direction. Luckily the streets were well marked and empty of pokémon and he quickly found the blue-roofed building, praying that the lightning would hold off until he made it inside.

The large automatic door slid shut behind him just as the first flash of lightning lit up the sky.

The store looked eerily empty. Except for the cashier and Yellow himself, there was nobody in the brightly lit store. It seemed that, like on Route One, everyone in the city was trying to avoid the storm. Summer storms were known to be intense but short, so most pokémon usually found somewhere sheltered to wait out storms rather than risk injury by going outside. The cashier, a young hitmonlee not much older than Yellow, looked up from his radio and quickly hid it under the counter. The sounds of last night's battle between Misty of Cerulean and a young Trainer whose name Yellow couldn't remember were still audible. The hitmonlee seemed to be thoroughly embarrassed at being caught listening to the radio on the job. Yellow gave a sympathetic smile. Then he remembered why he had run into the store.

"Err...I was sent here by the Professor. Professor Oak that is...I'm not sure if you know him, but..."

"Oh!" The hitmonlee's eyes widened. "I've been expecting you! The Professor ordered a new product the other day and it got delivered here by mistake. I didn't know he was sending a pikachu, all he said was that one of his assistants was coming today to pick it up. I guess that's you, right?"

Yellow nodded, and hoped that his embarrassment wasn’t showing. He wasn't really Professor Oak's assistant. In fact, he hardly knew him. But Yellow wasn't about to say no to the most well-known pokémon researcher in all of Kanto, and Oak told him that he would be given a reward for picking up the package. The hitmonlee left the register and went to the back of the shop, calling out behind him, “I’ll just be a few minutes, the inventory room is a mess, why don’t you look around a little?”

Yellow took his advice and meandered up and down the aisles, the announcer's voice fading in and out of hearing as he walked back and forth. If he hadn't caught the match when it aired last night he would have stayed at the counter to listen, but he _had_ caught the match last night, and it wasn't very impressive. Misty wiped the floor with the young nidorina. Browsing the aisles of the PokeMarts was much more interesting. PokeMart was the largest chain of convenience stores in Kanto, so they had a little bit of everything. Yellow’s hometown of Pallet was void of any chain stores like this, and Yellow was excited to see what all the hype was about. There seemed to be a new brand of battle stimulants on sale, boasting that they would boost your abilities in battle for up to one hour after ingesting them. And there was a large bin full of cheaply made pokédolls, mostly clefairys for some reason. There were a few fishing rods in the back corner that they looked like they had never been touched, which wasn’t surprising since Viridian City wasn’t exactly on the coast. After a few minutes of browsing Yellow heard the hitmonlee’s heavy steps and he made his way back to the counter.

"Here you go," the cashier said, as he handed a medium sized cardboard box down to Yellow. Yellow thanked the hitmonlee and exited the shop. As he left he saw the cashier pull his radio out from under the counter. The match had already ended.

It was still raining, but the lightning had let up enough that Yellow felt he was safe to run across the street to the pokémon center. He didn't want to get whatever was in the box wet, so after putting it in his bag he sprinted as fast as he could to the pokémon center door. The lobby was overcrowded, probably due to the many pokémon seeking refuge from the storm. Thinking it would be wise to stay for the night rather than walking home in the dark or getting the mysterious contents of the box wet, Yellow squeezed his way to the reception desk and asked for a room. The chansey at the counter gave him a sad look.

"I'm sorry, but there are just no single rooms left. If you'd like, you can share with another someone who needs one, but you'll have to ask around. We only have a few double rooms left, so you'll have to hurry."

Yellow nodded and set off to find a roommate. He hoped that someone would approach him first. He’d never been to a large pokémon center and wasn’t sure about the etiquette in this kind of situation. His tail twitched nervously.  

_How am I supposed to ask someone to room with me? Do I just go up and ask if they want to sleep with me?_

He asked a butterfree, psyduck, sandshrew, oddish and pinser (he was getting quite desperate at that point) before finally, someone agreed to room with him for the night. It was a burly and aggressive looking mankey, and Yellow was a little hesitant at first, but as he talked to the mankey, he realized that she was actually quite nice, and was in fact looking for a roommate herself. Together, they went back up to the reception desk and got a room key from the tired chansey. As they walked to their room, the mankey introduced herself as Judy, and told Yellow that she had come to Viridian city from her home town of Cerulean to challenge the Viridian City gym leader. But when she got to Viridian, the gym was closed.

"You want to challenge Giovani?" Yellow asked, stunned. "Only the strongest pokémon even consider challenging him! He's like...unbeatable!"

Judy gave Yellow an amused look. "First of all, he's not ‘unbeatable’. Nobody is unbeatable, not even Lance. Second, I need only need one more badge before the end of the year if I want to take the elite four challenge, and his is the one I need. And third of all, who says I'm not strong? Just because I'm young and I'm not evolved doesn't mean I can't fight!" Judy had clearly had many arguments about her abilities in the past because her amusement quickly turned to irritation as she continued her rant.

Yellow raised his paws in surrender. "Whoa. I never said anything about your age having anything to do with my doubt. I've just never heard of a mankey trying to challenge the strongest gym leader in the league. Even the other gym leaders seem to avoid him!"

Judy raised an eyebrow but smiled. "Would you like to battle me? Then maybe you can see just how strong I am."

Yellow’s stomach jolted.

"Err...I'm not sure..."

"What are you, a scared little caterpie?" Judy laughed playfully.

"It's just that, I've never really...well, I haven't really..."

Judy stopped laughing and a serious look flashed across her face. "Are you trying to tell me that you've never battled before?"

"...yeah..."

Judy looked like she didn't know what to say to that. To a fighting pokémon, saying that you didn't battle was like saying you didn't drink water. Both were an essential part of existence. Seeing the look she was giving him, Yellow quickly tried to explain himself.

"It's my mom. She is so protective of me. She didn't even really want me to come to Viridian city on an errand for Professor Oak, and I only live in Pallet town! There aren't a whole lot of pokémon in my town who are into battling either, so if I really wanted to fight I'd have to go in the woods and battle the locals."

Judy nodded in understanding but gave Yellow a look that he took as pity. "Well, if I'm going to battle Giovani tomorrow, I'm going to need a lot of sleep, good night Yellow."

Pleased that he didn't have to explain himself any further, and pleased that Judy believed his reasons, he said goodnight and turned off the light on the way to his bed.

When Yellow woke up the next morning Judy was already gone, though she had thoughtfully left a note on the door.

 _'Yellow: Thank you for letting me room with you last night, I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't found a room. I'm sorry I left without saying goodbye, but Nurse Joy told me that Giovani would only be accepting one challenger per day, and I wanted to be that one. I hope our paths cross again someday, and if not, good luck with all you do in your life! Don't worry about last night, I didn't mean to upset you, I was just surprised a pikachu like you wouldn't be into battling. You knew so much about Giovani that I though you must be challenging the gym leaders too. You were even doing an errand for Professor Oak! He’s a legend in the battling scene! Well, I'd better start to wrap it up, so bye!_  
_Love, Judy, your new friend._  
_p.s. If you ever change your mind, I'd still love to have a battle with you! I live in Cerulean City, and our Nurse Joy can point you in the right direction if you can't find me. Even if you don't want to battle, you can still drop by anytime! My mom bakes a great apple pie!'_

Yellow was touched by the letter. He didn't have any friends at home, his shy personality and submissiveness didn't attract many friends in a town such as Pallet, where despite what he told Judy, nearly every child tried to compete in the league. He often got made fun of, and his supposed lack of enthusiasm about battling led to many awful nicknames, "Wimpychu" and "Mellow Yellow" among the worst.

After carefully folding Judy's note and putting it in his bag, Yellow checked out at the desk and started walking back to Pallet Town. He had a long walk ahead of him if he wanted to make it to Pallet Town before dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve been thinking about this fic for years and even had the first chapter posted on fanfiction.net (six!) years ago but stalled after that first chapter. I got inspired again when Pokémon GO came out and have been waiting to finish an outline before reposting it. Now that that outline is finished, Chapter 2, and the rest of the fic, won’t be far behind! The outline, (fifteen-page and counting) plots up to the very end of this fic with a pretty strong idea of the story’s main plot threads, so even if it takes a while between updates (three jobs and grad school will do that to you), this fic does have an intended conclusion already figured out, and I do intend on finishing it. This story will be LENGTHY AS HECK (an estimated 63 chapters give or take!) so buckle up for a long ride.  
> The story will roughly follow the plot of the original games (and weaves it together with some elements from the anime and the manga). Look out for lots of references and throwbacks to obscure pokémon lore and theories! Let me know your favorite bits of random pokémon trivia in the comments! If I don’t already have a plan for it, I may just slip it in somewhere! If you’ve consumed pokémon media of all types, you should be able to pick up on some small throwaway details that others might not, including the direction of some plot points, so keep an eye out!  
> There will be some key differences to separate this from pokémon fics, especially those in the Original Trainer/Pokémon Journey genre, which this basically is. Some will be obvious (like all the characters being pokémon instead of humans!) but others, I hope, will introduce an element of adventure and mystery, despite everyone probably being able to guess how things will turn out in the end:)  
> This fic is only going to contain the original 151, not because I am a Pokémon Purist (Gen 2 is my personal favorite), but because adding more than that would have made this fic even more unwieldy than it already is. Just enjoy all the nostalgia and don’t get too hung up on the details. (I do have an in-universe reason for why there’s only Kanto natives, but it will only be hinted at in the background, not play a part in the main plot.)  
> I’d love your feedback, especially because I feel like this is very tell-y right now, instead of show-y, and it’s a little shorter than I’d like it to be, but I felt like this was a good stopping point/introduction.  
> Next time on WALiaPW: Yellow returns home and is told what his reward is, and his mom is a helicopter parent.


	2. The Comforts of Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yellow learns what's in the box, and his mom is a helicopter parent.

The air was hot and sticky as Yellow made his way out of Viridian City. The previous day’s storm seemed to be lingering in the air and light grey clouds blotted out the sun. With no threat of a storm on the horizon, there were many more pokémon on the streets than there had been the day before, and Yellow was able to take in the sight of the bustling city in a way he hadn’t had time to do yesterday. He did need to hurry back to Pallet Town without delay, but as he set a brisk pace towards Route One, he gazed around in wonder at the sheer variety of pokémon out and about. His tail was held close to his body, in fear that someone might step on it,  or more importantly, that he might bump it into someone violent. Pallet town was a fairly homogeneous town; most pokémon were at least distantly related to the locals and there were very few of the more exotic species residing in the small town. There were certainly very few pokemon capable of doing any damage to his tail just by stepping on it. Many of the pokémon he passed he had only ever seen in pictures or on the television. He wondered this kind if diversity was common in all cities, or if Viridian was the exception because of its proximity to the League.

He quickly reached the outer limits of the city and left the noise of it behind him. In contrast, Route One was quiet and tranquil. He immediately felt himself relax. It was still early in the morning and it was uncomfortably humid, so he wasn’t expecting much company on the long walk home. He did nod to a family of exhausted looking rattata who were making their way into the city with large packs on their backs, likely berry merchants if the smell of them were anything to go by, but then he was alone, left with only the slight rustling of leaves as a cooling breeze wound its way up the path.

Yellow headed straight to Oak’s lab when he finally reached Pallet Town several hours later. It was hard to miss- a large white building on the only real hill in town. It was powered by a windmill that stood just behind it on the apex of the hill. The large arms of the windmill were turning lazily in the breeze as Yellow made his way slowly to the main entrance. Making the walk to and from Viridian City in the space of two days had worn him out more than he expected it to, and his short legs aching by the time he reached the lab. The massive door of the lab slid open to reveal an even larger room beyond it. Some of the professor’s assistants were milling about, tinkering with machines whose purpose Yellow couldn’t even guess at. Yellow suddenly understood why the lab needed its own source of power. Pallet Town’s rustic power grid wouldn’t be able to handle this many computers and machines running at the same time. At the sound of the door closing one of the assistants- a poliwhirl- looked up from his work-space and walked over to Yellow.

“You’re Yellow, right? The pikachu who picked up Oak’s package for us? Come right this way, I’ll bring you to the Professor.”

Yellow followed the poliwhirl as directed, trying not to feel more anxious than he already was. He had hoped he could just drop off the package and go home, but it seemed that Professor Oak wanted to thank him and give him this mysterious reward in person. The poliwhirl brought Yellow to a closed door and knocked. There was the sound of a large pokémon walking across the room and the door opened to reveal Professor Oak.

Yellow had lived in Pallet Town all his life, but he never got used to seeing Professor Oak, once the champion of Kanto, now the famous pokémon researcher, in person. He looked much as he did in one of the posters on Yellow’s bedroom wall, only fifty years older now. His golden scales didn’t sparkle as vibrantly as they once did, but they hadn’t quite dulled, either. His eyes still shone with pride and intelligence, and he was still one of the largest pokémon that Yellow had ever encountered in person. Yellow had to crane his neck to look at his face. He pushed down the instinctual fear that comes of looking into the face of a dragonite as Oak peered down to look at him.

“Ah! Yellow! Just in time! You have the package?”

Yellow nodded and pulled the box in question out of his bag. Oak smiled.

“I’m betting that you’re curious as to what’s inside, right?”

Yellow _had_ been curious, but he wasn’t planning to say anything about it for fear of seeming nosy. He nodded again (his voice hadn’t seemed to find itself yet), but pricked his ears in anticipation. Oak laughed kindly and opened the box. He pulled out a small red device and handed it to Yellow.

“I’m calling it a Pokédex. It’s the new prototype I’ve been working on. It allows the user to record and analyze battles and information about pokémon species on a convenient to carry device. I’ve been trying to figure out what makes pokémon _work_. What makes all of us unique from each other. It’s meant to be used in the field, and that’s where you come in, Yellow.”

Yellow turned the Pokédex over in his paws wondering what Oak could possibly mean. The professor continued, “I need someone to be my field researcher. I need my assistants here at the lab, so none of them can go, and I need this project to be completed by someone I can trust. There are quite a few rivals of mine who would love to get their hands on this device and I can’t hire outside of pokés that I already know, for fear of hiring a plant from one of my rivals. You’re perfect. I’ve known your family for years and I know you are a hard worker and intelligent. So, what do you say? An all-expenses paid trip across Kanto, researching what makes pokémon, pokémon?”

“No.”

Yellow had blurted out the answer before Oak could continue. He hadn’t even given it much thought, his answer came out without thinking, but he knew immediately he had said the right thing. He couldn’t leave his home for who knows how long, can’t rough it in the wilderness, can’t leave his mother, can’t fend for himself…He’d be dead before he got to Pewter City.

Professor Oak didn’t look too surprised, or too disappointed, and while Yellow wasn’t sure how to feel about that, he was relieved that Oak didn’t look too let down by his answer. Realizing that he was still holding the red Pokédex, he hastily handed it up to the professor and tried to put the uncomfortable feeling in his gut into words.

“Sorry, Professor, but I’m not sure I’m the right pokémon for the job. I hope you find someone suitable and thank you for the offer! It means a lot that you would even consider me.” Yellow wasn’t lying. Professor Oak, one of, if not the most, famous pokémon in Kanto considered him trustworthy and intelligent. That thought alone was enough for him to ignore the strange feeling in his stomach as he said his goodbyes and left the lab.

Yellow took the long way home, taking in the sights of the familiar town. He had grown up here. He knew his neighbors, knew all the shopkeepers, knew all their children. Yellow had never seriously considered leaving Pallet Town. Growing up of course he always imagined of going on a journey of his very own, every kid did, but as he got older that dream faded when the realities of what leaving Pallet Town would mean kicked in. It would mean being all alone. Even more alone than he was already. At least here he had his mom, had a familiar routine. Nothing out of the ordinary ever happened in Pallet Town unless you worked at the professor’s laboratory. Yellow thought about Viridian City, about all the pokémon he had seen there. He thought about Judy, a stranger turned friend. He would probably never see her again.

Yellow pushed that train of thought aside as he came up to his house. As he opened the door he shouted, “Mom? I’m home!”

“Yellow!”

There was a yellow blur and then Yellow found himself in the arms of his mother, being squeezed so hard that he couldn’t breathe. She was wearing an apron and Yellow could smell the comforting scent of a freshly baked apple pie wafting from the kitchen. If he’d left he wouldn’t get to eat her pie anymore. And why would she bake a pie with nobody to eat it? _Judy’s mom makes apple pie too…_ said the voice in his head, but he shook it away as his mom squeezed him again.

“I was so worried about you last night!” Yellow’s mom let go of him and took a step back, examining him from head to toe as if to see if any pieces of him were missing. “When the storm blew through I was worried you’d be caught out in it! Did you make it to the city ok? Did you run into any trouble? Oh, I knew I should have gone with you! What if you had been attacked by some thugs! Cities are dangerous places you know, especially for someone like you! Have you already gone to see the professor? What was the reward he was talking about?”

Yellow smiled. He had expected this kind of reaction from his mother. Just another reason he couldn’t leave Pallet Town. She would kill herself with worry over him if this was what one night away did to her. He followed her to the kitchen as he updated her on his trip.

“I got to the city just before the storm, and there was no one on the road the whole way there. I made sure to be aware of my surroundings, just like you told me, but there was no trouble. I stayed the night at the pokémon center with a nice mankey from Cerulean City, and I dropped off the professor’s package as soon as I got into town.”

Yellow’s mother seemed mostly satisfied as she handed him a slice of pie. He hoped that the combination of his answer and the pie would make her forget her last question.

“So what was the reward from Oak for running his errand for you? I swear that man has gotten lazy in his old age, he could have flown to the city and back in a few hours, but he makes you go fetch his package and waste a whole day and a half.”

Yellow smiled. His mom was so predictable. It was comforting, it really was.

“Mom, really, it was okay! The Professor is a busy pokémon, he probably was in the middle of something and couldn’t step away, and I actually enjoyed getting to see the city! There were so many pokemon there! I even saw a Kadabra!”

“And what was the reward?”

Yellow groaned internally. So much for the hope that she’d forget. He should have known better.

“Well, it actually has to do with the package he had me pick up. It was a new prototype for a device and he needs someone to do some field research with it. The reward was that he wanted me to do it. He said that I’m trustworthy and intelligent.”

Yellow swelled with pride recalling the professor’s words, and saw his mother perk up in excitement.

“Yellow! That’s fantastic! I always knew you’d probably end up working for him! What kind of field research is it? Is it a permanent position?”

Yellow’s good mood slipped away. His mom was so proud of him, and now he had to crush that happiness.

“I actually turned him down, Mom.”

His mom startled. “What? Why? I told you already, I don’t need much help in the shop this summer, that nice rattata from down the street has offered to help, you don’t have to worry about me! You can get a real job!”

“The field research he wants me to do, it involves travelling. Across the country. For an indefinite period of time.”

“Oh.” His mom slumped a little. Yellow could see the realization sink in. Taking this job would mean leaving her, going out into the world, and probably dying out there, because he doesn’t know the first thing about life outside this town.

“Yeah. I can’t leave for that long, Mom. And you _do_ need help this summer! That rattata doesn’t know the first thing about selling anything! She’ll run us out of business if you let her!”

Yellow’s mom shook her head. He could tell that she was gearing herself up to say something that went against her nature. She always twisted her apron when she told a lie, and her apron was currently bunched up in a ball in her fist.

“Don’t worry about me, Yellow! This is a fantastic opportunity! Of course I’m worried about you, I’m your mother, but you’re all grown up now, you can go on this journey, like you always wanted to when you were a kid!”

“Mom, I can’t, I already told him no, and anyway, I don’t even want to! I’m not a kid anymore, I haven’t wanted to go on a journey in years!”

His mom didn’t seem convinced. How could he convince her that this wasn’t what he wanted? She was just saying those things because she wanted to support him, even if it meant him leaving her behind.

“Promise me you’ll consider it, okay Yellow? I don’t want you to regret anything.”

Yellow nodded. Whatever he could do to convince her that he was right in turning down the Professor.

“Alright! You go do that thinking while I make dinner, okay? The flowers along the beach are looking awfully pretty right now. I know how they always make you feel happy. Go take a walk and think, but come back home once the sun sets!”

Yellow knew his mom wouldn’t take no for an answer, so he ate his last bite of pie and headed down to the beach. Besides, she was right. The flowers by the beach would look really nice in the sunset.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter, and mostly dialogue, sorry! Once the plot actually starts, chapters should get a bit longer.
> 
> Next time, on WALiaPW, we meet Yellow’s childhood friend turned bully, there’s a fight, and Yellow makes his decision.


	3. Dexter and Blue and Daisy Too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet Yellow’s childhood friend turned bully, there’s a fight, and Yellow packs his bag.

Yellow stared out at the sea and thought about the town he had lived in all his life. He knew every nook and cranny of this place. He knew when the flowers bloomed, knew when the sea air would shift with each season, knew the shape of the inlet at the most southern tip of the peninsula like he knew the shape of his own tail. Knew the rise and fall of the mostly unused docks like the beating of his own heart. Pallet Town was a part of him. If he left, wasn’t that like saying that he didn’t care? That this town meant nothing to him? That he didn’t appreciate that he had everything he’d ever needed right here?

Yellow let out a frustrated sigh. _Why am I even thinking about this? I_ don’t _want to leave…right?_ But the more he thought about Pallet Town the more he thought about Viridian City. About the diversity of the pokémon that passed through that city. Was he content to know the same pokémon for the rest of his life? Was he content to be alone and friendless for the rest of his life? Was he content with being so afraid of change and uncertainty that he’d turn down _Professor Oak_ , the greatest pokémon of this age, a _dragonite_ , who told a _pikachu_ that he was intelligent and trustworthy? If he turned down Professor Oak, wasn’t that like saying he didn’t believe in him? That he didn’t trust his judgement? And what kind of idiot would turn down the chance to travel the country doing ground-breaking research and working for the greatest pokémon alive?

Yellow leapt to his feet, cheeks tingling in excitement. _Screw being scared. This is my only chance to_ do _something with my life. If I refuse it, then I’m only proving anyone who tormented me for the last ten years right. I would be a coward._

He was running toward the lab before he realized he had even stood up. _I still have an hour until the sun sets and Mom starts to worry. I can make it to the lab in time if I run._

As he approached the top of the hill for the second time that day, he slowed down and tried to catch his breath. His lungs ached, his legs ached, and he almost considered turning back around. If he was this tired just running up a hill, how would he face weeks of travel? How would he face mountains? He was woefully underprepared for this.

Fortunately, though he had slowed down, he hadn’t stopped, and suddenly the great sliding door was opening and Yellow found himself back in the lab. Professor Oak was standing there in the middle of the lab, arguing with someone. As Yellow approached, he recognized the brown furred pokémon and he almost turned around and walked right back outside, but Oak noticed him first and called out, “Yellow! You’re back!”

Yellow’s left ear twitched and he forced a smile on his face. “Uh, yeah, I wanted to talk to you?”

“Of course, of course! I was just talking to Blue about the new Pokédex prototype! Is that why you’re here too? Have you reconsidered my offer?”

Yellow stared at the floor hard enough to burn holes into it. There were suddenly too many pokémon looking at him. More importantly, _Blue_ was looking at him. If he looked up, he’d lose his nerve.

“Well, Yellow? Do you want to work for me?”

His tail twitched. He bit his lip. He thought about how it had felt to run up that hill and know that he had a purpose. Finally, he mumbled out a ‘yes.’

He looked up. He shouldn’t have. Professor Oak looked radiant, eyes lit up with excitement and wings fluttering. Blue looked like cold-blooded murder.

“Are you kidding me, Gramps? _This_ is the reason you won’t let me take the new prototype Pokédex? You’re going to let _Wimpychu_ do your research? He’d never even make it to Pewter City!”

Yellow’s ear twitched again, but this time in annoyance. _This_ was why he had to do this! Because there was no worse feeling than letting Blue be right! He was sick of always letting Blue walk all over him. For the last ten years he had let Blue bully him, but no more. He was ready to be his own pokémon. Ready to prove that he could make something of himself.

“I _can_ make it.” The words were out of his mouth before he realized it. “I _will_ make it.” His cheeks sparked. Energy surged through his body. It was a foreign feeling to him, but it was good. He never wanted this feeling to go away. This feeling of _power_. 

Blue looked shocked. “So you finally found some guts, huh, loser? I’ll prove that you can’t make it out there. Battle me. If you don’t wet yourself in fear than maybe you’ll last one night in the wilderness.”

Professor Oak sighed, sounding profoundly exasperated. “Please, Blue, not in the lab. And I’m sure Yellow doesn’t want to anyway-”

“Challenge accepted.”

Blue’s eyes widened in surprise then narrowed and Yellow’s stomach immediately dropped. _This isn’t me. What am I saying. This is crazy._

One minute later found the two young pokémon outside the lab, waiting for the other to make the first move. The longer Blue didn’t move the more uncertainty latched onto Yellow like a tangela. His body started vibrating with nervous energy. The feeling of power from earlier was gone, replaced with anxiety. This was his first battle. He’d never had any special training besides basic self-defense. Hopefully instinct would kick in and do all the work for him, because he had no idea what he was doing. He had spent hours, days, weeks of his life studying the famous trainers of Kanto, but none of that meant anything if he didn’t know how to apply it to himself.  

Suddenly a brown blur shot toward him and slammed into his gut. All the air left his body in one rush and he was pushed off his feet. As he shakily got to his feet Blue slammed into him again and Yellow was thrown off his feet again. His heart was racing like he had just run up ten hills. _I’m an idiot. Why did I think I could do this. This is terrifying._ He got to his feet again and tried to summon some electricity, but he’d never been great at summoning it on command. Blue shot towards him and he was thrown back again.

“You’re pathetic.”

Yellow got to his feet again, breathing heavily. He wanted nothing more than to give up- to just go home and let his mom wrap him in a hug. He hated this. The humiliation, the pain, the smug look on Blue’s face. But quitting would be proving Blue right. Quitting would be proving that he _was_ worthless. He tried to lunge towards Blue but was met with a cloud of dirt in his eyes that Blue had kicked up. Blue let out a nasty laugh.

“You’re a waste of space, Yellow. You’re nothing. What are you trying to prove? That you can be a hero? That you can be like your dad? You-”

“That’s enough, Blue.”

Professor Oak had joined them outside. Yellow had never seen him look so disappointed. His heart sank. Was Oak going to change his mind? Yellow’s heart was still thumping wildly in his chest, and he wasn’t sure if it was due to the battle or the fear of what Oak would say at his poor performance. Blue was staring defiantly at his grandfather, probably mad that the battle had been interrupted.

“Gramps, I just beat this loser without even trying. Let _me_ take the new prototype. I’m taking the League Challenge anyway, what better way to test the prototype?”

Yellow hadn’t known that Blue was finally taking the Challenge, but he wasn’t surprised. Blue was right. He had barely even tried and still won. Oak gave a large sigh.

“Blue, I told you already, I want you take the older model with you. You’re already familiar with how it works, and I don’t have the means to transfer what you’ve already collected over to the new prototype. You’d have to start over from scratch. Besides, after what you’ve shown me right now I don’t think I can trust you with it.”

Yellow could see that Blue was shaking in anger, even from several yards away.

“Really? I’m stronger than him! I won!”

“And you acted rashly, gave in to your anger, and taunted your opponent. There’s more to being a strong pokémon than physical strength, Blue. It’s about time you learn that. Now go wait in the lab, I want to talk to Yellow.”

Blue hmphed and stalked off towards the lab, but not before turning his head back and sticking out his tongue. Oak sighed again and turned to Yellow. _This is it. This is the moment where he tells me what a failure I am._

“Yellow. The job is still yours if you want it. It’s not necessary for you to compete in the League, it merely requires travelling, talking to pokémon, and recording battles. They don’t have to be your own battles.”

Yellow felt a wave of relief wash over him. He wasn’t expected to compete in the League. He wasn’t a disappointment for being so bad at battling. Professor Oak still believed in him. He felt himself nod, and Oak smiled and handed him the Pokédex.

“Good! I’ve included a tutorial that should start as soon as you turn the Pokédex on. It will explain how all of the basic functions work. There’s a section for you to make notes, with the capability for you to create multiple files and sections as you see fit. You can record by typing or by speaking into the device. There’s a video camera to record battles, as well as a program that will help analyze what moves are being used. There’s also an option to record audio, for interviews. But the most impressive thing, and what you’ll be focusing on, is the pokémon database. There’s a file for each species in Kanto. Right now it contains only basic information about each species. Your job is to add as much to it as possible. The goal is to collect data from across the region which will serve as a way for researchers like me to do studies without having to travel ourselves and leave our labs for extended periods of time. With a robust database, we’ll be able to advance in many areas of study, like medicine, or evolution, even how DNA works!”

Oak’s enthusiasm was infectious, and Yellow found himself smiling. He was going to be a part of a project that could one day lead to improving the lives of pokémon all over the country!

Oak suddenly turned serious, and Yellow’s smile dropped.

“I mentioned earlier that there are rival researchers who want to steal my design. I wish we lived in a world where information could be traded freely, but unfortunately, there are those who would see the Pokédex as a source for profit. Hording the information until the highest bidder shells out all their money, blocking access to those who really need it. The Pokédex must not be used by anyone except you, understood?”

Yellow nodded. “Yes, sir. Understood.”

“The Pokédex will be locked and will only open when you input the password. Whenever you transmit data back to the lab you will also have to input the password. I recommend using something that you are unlikely to forget, but not something that someone could easily guess.”

Yellow thought about it. What could he use as a password? Like the professor said, it would have to be something he was unlikely to forget. The Pokédex was red, maybe something to do with that color? That would be too easy though, wouldn’t it? Suddenly he came up with an idea. His favorite pokedoll. The one he’d been given by his father, before he left. The one that never left his bedside. A red charmeleon named Dexter. He opened the Pokédex and was met with a screen that asked for his new password.

“Now what?” Yellow asked, once he had finished typing in his password. Professor Oak smiled down at him.

“Now you start your journey. You can leave at any time, though I’d suggest waiting until tomorrow morning, at this point. There’s not a time limit on this project, and I don’t want you to feel rushed. All I ask is that you check in once and a while; any time you stop at a pokémon center should be enough. Aside from that, you can go wherever you want, whenever you want. Explore! See things you’d never get to see otherwise, talk to pokémon you’d never talk to otherwise, do things you’d never otherwise get to do.”

The excitement Yellow felt before his encounter with Blue was returning. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. He’d secretly always wanted to see more of the world, despite what he tried to make himself believe.  

“Thank you again, Professor Oak, I won’t let you down!”

“No, thank _you_ Yellow. You’re going to help us do great things. Your father would be proud.”

Yellow’s tail twitched at the mention of his father, but his heart felt warm. He was going to be the best researcher Oak had ever seen, he would make his parents proud, he would no longer be the stain on his family’s legacy. He would prove Blue wrong.

But before that, he would have to break the news to his mother.

He still hadn’t figured out a way to tell his mother that he was leaving in the time it took him to walk home from the lab. The sun had nearly set, and the sky was turning from deep oranges and pinks to lavender and blue as he watched. The trees looked like they were dipped in gold, and everything had a warm tint that made Yellow both nostalgic and excited. Even if he wasn’t home, the sunset would still be there every night, no matter where in the region he was.

He finally reached his house and pushed open the door. He was greeted to one of his favorite smells, pasta with tamato sauce.

“Yellow, is that you? Wait at the table, I’ll be there in a minute!”

His mom was in the kitchen, likely spooning out the pasta into a serving bowl as quickly as she could. Yellow climbed up onto the seat and sat the Pokédex on the table next to his plate.

A minute later, his mom appeared, carrying a large bowl overflowing with pasta. Enough for at least three meals.

“Do we have a guest joining us tonight?” Yellow joked as his mom sat down at the table to join him.

“No, silly! I made extra for you to take with you for lunch tomorrow!”

Yellow looked at his mom. The fur around her eyes was damp. She had been crying.

“How did you know I would say yes?”

“I know you. This is all you’ve ever wanted, whether you realize it or not. You just needed some alone time to think about it. Is that the prototype there?” She pointed to the Pokédex, clearly an attempt to distract Yellow from her face, which she was dabbing with her apron. 

“Yeah.”

An awkward silence settled over the two pikachu as they ate their dinner, unsure of what to say or how to say it.

Later that night, after assuring his mom that he would call every chance he got, Yellow began packing his bag. He would have to be very conservative with his space. He envied larger pokémon. They had the ability to carry so much more with them. He wouldn’t be able to bring many personal items with him. The Pokédex alone would take up one whole side pocket of his bag. Inside the main pocket he threw all the medicine he had in the medicine cabinet, as well as bandages and a canteen. He rolled up a blanket as tight as he could and tied it to the top. He gave one last glance around his room, looking to see if he forgot anything. He opened his closet door, to give one last look inside and saw something move out of the corner of his eye. _Oh. I forgot that was there_. It was the top half of what used to be a red and white fishing lure, still looped into the fishing wire and hanging on a hook on the back of the door. He stared at it for a few minutes, debating if he wanted to take it with him. It was a useless piece of trash, but it was also a reminder. He smiled at the memory of a younger him and Blue fishing in a nearby stream, arguing over who was better. That was before things changed. Before Blue started lashing out and Yellow started retreating inward. He grabbed the lure and tied it to the outside of his bag. _Maybe it can serve as a good luck charm._

He shut the closet door, satisfied that he had everything he needed. If he needed anything else it could wait until he reached Viridian City.

It was hard for Yellow to fall asleep that night, like trying to sleep the night before a holiday. Eventually he was too tired to stay awake any longer, all the running and his poor excuse for battling from earlier had tired him out. This would be the last time he slept in his own bed for a while, and he savored it while he could. He slept soundly and dreamlessly.

He woke to his mother gently rapping on his door. He blinked his eyes open looked around his room. This would be last time he set foot in it for at least a few months, maybe more. He patted Dexter the charmeleon’s worn out head. He would have to stay here.

“Take care of Mom, Dexter.”

Dexter stared blankly back at him. Yellow grabbed his bag from the side of his bed and followed his mom to the front door, where she handed him his old lunch box.

“Last night’s leftovers. For lunch.”

Yellow put the lunch box in his bag and hugged his mom. She squeezed him tight and sniffled.

“I’m going to miss you so much, Yellow.”

“I know, Mom. I’ll miss you too.”

Yellow’s mom reluctantly let go and stepped back, put her hands on her hips, and forced a stern look on her face.

“Now I want you to be safe out there, Yellow. The rest of the world isn’t like Pallet Town. There are thieves and crooks and bandits and bad people. Sleep in a pokémon center whenever you can. Don’t get into fights you can’t back out of. Don’t buy anything that isn’t from a licensed vendor. Don’t forget to rinse your mouth out or you’ll get cavities. Don’t-”

“Mom. I know. I’ll be fine.”

His mom nodded and wiped a tear from her eye. “And don’t forget to call me.”

“I won’t forget, Mom.”

“Oh!” His mom exclaimed, “I forgot something!”

She ran into the house and came back a minute later with a package.

“I’ve had this sitting in the back of a closet, waiting for this day. I can’t believe I almost forgot it!”

Yellow took the package from her, intrigued. He ripped the yellowed paper off and stared in shock at what was inside.

“Is this really-”

His mom nodded. “I ordered it years ago, when all you would talk about was travelling the world, training, and battling. Now I know you aren’t a fan of battling yourself, but I figure you _are_ travelling, and this hat is only gathering dust in the closet, so it’s time I finally give it to you.”

_The official Pokémon League Expo hat!_ _There were only a limited number made that year!_

“Thanks, Mom.”

Yellow put the hat on his head, smushing his ears down sideways. He gave his mom one last hug, swung his bag over his shoulder, and set off, giving one last look at his mom and the house he grew up in. She’d be okay. He had to believe that, or he’d never be able to leave town. She’d be okay, and so would he.

He was just about to take his first step out of town when he heard someone call his name.

“Yellow! Hey! Yellow! Wait up!”

Yellow stopped and turned around.

A sleek vaporeon was hurrying up to him, and it took a few seconds to register who it was. Daisy, Blue’s older sister. He hadn’t seen her in nearly a year. She must have evolved sometime since he last saw her. She was carrying a thick piece of paper in her mouth, and she dropped it at his feet once she caught up to him.

“I’m so glad I caught you, Yellow! Gramps told me you were leaving today, and I wanted to send you off. Blue left town as soon as the sun came up and I was half asleep when he left. I tried to give him this map before he left but he claimed he ‘didn’t need it.’ I figured I’d give it to you instead. If Blue gets lost that’s on him.”

She gave Yellow a wink, and he smiled back at her, cheeks warming up. Even when his and Blue’s relationship was in the worst moments, Daisy was always kind to him.

“I totally forgot about a map! Thank you, Daisy!”

Yellow hoped his embarrassment wasn’t showing too much. _How could I forget a map of all things! I’m going to die out there!_

“No problem! Just be sure to rub it in my brother’s face when he inevitably gets lost! He’s gotten really cocky and arrogant these last few years.” Daisy suddenly grew more somber. “I know my brother comes off as a jerk, and there’s no excusing that, but I truly think he’s putting on a mask to hide his loneliness. Ever since our parents died, he’s somehow grown more distant even when he surrounded himself with more and more new friends. I know he hasn’t been kind to you Yellow, but you were his best friend once. I think he just wants things to go back to the way they were, and lashes out when he realizes that things can never be the same. I’m not asking you to forgive him, but please try to keep it in mind the next time he taunts you, ok?

Yellow nodded, and Daisy’s face lit up again.

 “Good luck out there, Yellow! Oh! And cool hat!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a much longer chapter than the last two! Hopefully I can keep this word length up. This chapter feels really choppy to me, but I wanted to get it posted, so there may be small edits made later to make it read a little smoother. 
> 
> The fic is off to a slow start, but things will start picking up speed soon. We’ve got to work our way up to the Plot!
> 
> I went back and forth with what pokémon I wanted Blue to be for the longest time. I had him as a squirtle for a while, but eventually settled on eevee. Both species could conceivably have a dragonite grandfather depending on what the grandmother and parents were. I’ll leave that up to you, it probably won’t play a part in the plot.   
> What do you think happened to Yellow’s dad and Blue’s parents? You’ll find out in chapter 22!
> 
> Next time on WALiaPW, Yellow loses something precious and fights to get it back.


End file.
